𝑾𝒆❜𝒗𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑭𝒂𝒓 - 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒔 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒔

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑻𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒆

Camila went on another run after she finished eating with her mom. It was dark, but she didn't care. She needed to clear her head, and Thomas' actions today made her a little nervous. She knew that they were having trouble at home, Lola told her as much, but she hoped they were doing okay. Lola and Thomas both needed support, and she wanted to be there to give it to them.

She made it all the way to the bridge when she saw him. She ran forward, finding Thomas perched on the railing, facing the roadway beneath the bridge. He looked like he was about to jump, but he just sat there.

"Thomas?" She called, running forward. He looked up at her before looking back down. "What are you doing?"

"I don't know." He mumbled. His voice broke a bit, and she could see the sheen of tears reflecting from his face. She stepped closer, only to see the bruise on his cheekbone. It was deep purple and yellow, blooming across his face.

"Is that from your dad?" Camila asked quietly. Thomas shook his head, but after a moment, he nodded.

"It wasn't his fault." He whispered.

"Thomas-"

"It wasn't. Look, he's a picker. He's not a foreman like Señor Diaz. He doesn't run a crew. He just tries to get whatever work he can find. Arizona, Texas, wherever." Camila knew this, but she let him continue. "He got back yesterday and his baby girl was pregnant. So he just started hitting the wall, alright? I was trying to get him to stop and I just got in the way." Camila nodded, understanding what it meant. If he hurt his hands, he couldn't work.

"Thomas, please, you're scaring me. Please get down." She pleaded quietly, coming closer.

"No." He mumbled, staring down as a semi-truck drove by.

"Thomas, look, I... I know I don't understand, but I can't... you're scaring me. Lola needs you for support. Our team needs you. You're our friend. I-I..." Camila trailed off as a collection of feelings bubbled to the surface. She felt the tears slip down her face as she thought about how welcoming and kind he and Lola had been when she moved. How he'd helped her mom unpack their things and even plant a flower in the box outside their house.

She remembered how they stared at each other and she felt a blush creep over her cheeks, how Lola had teased him for watching Camila unpacking. They had grown to be good friends before Lola found out she was pregnant, and now... Camila realized it had always been more than that.

"I need you. Please, Thomas, get down." She reached forward, taking his hand off the railing and pulling him. He climbed over the railing, and the two of them sat down on the side of the bridge, leaning against the bars. They were both crying, and Thomas wrapped his arms around her, Camila's dark hair spilling over their shoulders.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, tightening his grip as Camila cried into his shoulder. She nodded weakly, listening to the pounding of his heartbeat.

-

"Johnny, why are your arms flying around like that?" White asked as they ran through an orchard.

"I don't know, why are you on a Barbie bike?" Johnny asked. White was currently riding alongside them in what Camila was assuming was his daughter's bicycle.

"Because it's pretty." Damacio answered, laughing.

"I bet you got the matching doll house, too, huh?" Johnny asked. Camila chuckled as she jogged beside Thomas.

"Which one are you, White?" Victor asked. "Blanco Barbie?"

"Alright, joke less, run more. Everybody tuck your arms in." White instructed. "You're all starting to look like the mangy chicken I got hanging around my house." Thomas grinned. "You're not smiling, are you Valles?"